Ampthill take Students to school with fine win

Tim Bartlett

A 25-3 home win for Ampthill against Loughborough Students in National One on Saturday ensured the A’s kept the pressure on the teams above them in the division having started the day fifth in the table.

From a spectator’s perspective, Ampthill didn’t look particularly stretched, despite losing Ben Gulliver early on to injury; as a Joe Tarrant penalty and tries from Sam Baker and Brett Sturgess gave the A’s a 13-3 half-time lead.

After the restart Sam Hanks and Stef Jones crossed over to secure the four-try bonus point win.

Ampthill’s director of rugby Mark Lavery said: "Defences are what makes teams successful. Once again we’ve held a very good team, who scored 50 points last week, and they didn’t cross the whitewash today.

"They’ve put us under immense pressure for large periods of today’s game and we’ve moved the ball around.

“It was maybe not what you’d call a typical maroon and gold performance, as it was a little bit more all-court and a little bit less power-based than we’re used to."

Ampthill now travel to Moseley next weekend as Lavery added: "What a massive week. Ampthill away at Mosely next weekend, who’d have thought it? After all they’ve achieved in the game – it's a massive honour for us to be going up there, let’s just hope we do ourselves proud."